The Handmaid’s Tale series finale ending explained: June returns to the Waterford house

The Season 6 finale, episode 10 of The Handmaid’s Tale, brings June Osborne's journey full circle and does justice to Atwood's novel, from which it is adapted. In the final scenes of the episode, which premiered on 27 May 2025, June returns to the place where her ordeal began —the ruins of the Waterford house. This also reflects the pilot episode, where the viewers were introduced to June's journey. This comes back to the origin, which reflects June's transformation and character development.

As a turn of events, she encounters Serena on the same train, which further reflects a shared loss and deepened bond between them, while Aunt Lydia's unexpected help sets her character arc for the new spinoff, The Testament. Read on to know more about the finale of The Handmaid’s Tale and how it ended for some characters.

Here is how The Handmaid's Tale series finale ended

Inside the house, June begins to record her story, symbolizing empowerment through narrative. This establishes The Handmaid’s Tale's central theme—the importance of telling a story as a form of resistance. Elisabeth Moss, who portrays June, described this final scene as "honestly perfection," appreciating how it returns to the literary roots of the series, per reports by Vanity Fair.

“And I would never have settled for anything less than perfection when it came to this ending. We return back to the beginning, to the first scene. She starts to record that book. The fact that this show started with a book and ends with the book is the only way it can end."

When the previous season of The Handmaid’s Tale concluded, fans were excited to see the finale and the ending. That is when the co-showrunners, Yahlin Chang and Eric Tuchman, said that the ending will be "honest" and "realistic" to the narrative of the novel and the central idea of the show. Indeed, the makers have kept their word with the finale of The Handmaid’s Tale.

June, in her voice-over in the season finale, is referring to mental escape—the kind of psychological survival that oppressed people develop in cruel systems. It emphasises the resilience of women who are exposed to trauma and control. After years of being dehumanized, she regains her power when she records her story the way she wants.

While her reunion with Serena Joy in the refugee train comes out as a moment of quiet understanding. The two women who were pitted against each other are now finding solidarity in motherhood, exile and survival. June and Serena made amends before they parted ways. Later, Serena and her son Noah are seen in the refugee camp, but she is informed that since the camp does not permit children, she will probably have to find another place to stay the following day. So it's unclear where she will wind up.

Aunt Lydia unexpectedly assist Janine in The Handmaid's Tale season finale

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In the finale, further in the episode, Janine is returned after being taken by authorities during the rebellion. Her attention shifts to her daughter Charlotte quickly after uniting with June for some time. Aunt Lydia helps them unexpectedly, which helps her see her child finally. This marked a rare moment of grace in Gilead's harsh world and a major character transformation for Aunt Lydia, also setting up the stage for her return in The Testament.

After years of enforcing Gilead’s brutal system in The Handmaid’s Tale and controlling handmaids like Janine and June, this moment suggests remorse or at least a growing awareness of the cost of her complicity. Aunt Lydia shows a glimpse of maternal instinct. This scene isn’t just emotional payoff — it’s also a setup for The Testaments, Hulu’s upcoming adaptation of Atwood’s sequel, where Aunt Lydia plays a central role.

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